Pump



Aug. 2, 1932. H RlCHTER 1,869,824 l I PUMP 4 Filed July l1, 1928 INVENTQR Hans Rlchl'er AT'T'ORNEY Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNi'rED STATES PATE/NT OFFICE i `HANS RICHTER, OF NUREMBERG', GERIANY, ASSIGNOR TO- WESTINGHOUSE ELECTMC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION F PENNSYLVANIA Application led'luly 11, 1928, Serial lo. 891,778, and in Germany July 29, 1927.

The invention relates generally to pumps and more particularly to rotary type pumps which may be utilized in connection with submersion-type pumping equipment.

In operating submersion-type pumping equipment such, for example, as a centrifugal pump driven by a direct-connected submersion-type motor, in pumping fluid from wells, considerable difliculty is experienced in preventing leakage fluid from entering the motor casing through the seam or joint formed at the drive shaft connecting 'the motor armature and the pump impeller. Since it is practically impossible to construct a perfect fluid-tight packing for the drive shaft to preventthe entrance or leakage of fluid into the motor casing, under all operating conditions, it has been found desirable to provide separate fluid seals for running and idle conditionsof the pump. L

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide for preventing fluid from entering the motor casing through the driveshaft joint when the pump is in operation.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide for creating a partial vacuum in the drive-shaft joint so that any leakage iuid which may accumulate in the motor casing may be expelled readily.

Another object of the invention is to provide for removing leakage Huid from the motor casing through the drive-shaft joint, discharging it by centrifugal force as the impeller rotates. i

For a more comprehensive understanding of the invention, reference may` be had to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure isa cross-sectional view of a centrifugal pump embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the structure shown comprises a centrifugal pump having a casing 1 with an impeller 2 rotatably mounted therein. As shown, the impeller 2 is supported by a sleeve shaft 3 journalled in a suitable sleeve bearing 4 in the casing 1 and extending through the top portion of the casing 1, forming a loosely-fitting joint or seam 5.

The pump may be driven in any suitable manner and, in this particular embodiment of the invention, the pump casing 1 is adapted to support the motor casing. 6,l the two casings being connected, as shown, by the flanges The motor is provided with a shaft 9 having a portion 11 extending into the sleeve shaft 3 and is rotatably supported by the thrust 7 and 8 in al manner to form a fluid-tight joint.

bearing 12 carried in the spider ymember 13 in the usual manner.

In order to rotate the ump impeller 2, the motor shaft 9 and impe ler shaft 3 are connected by means of a. clutch 14 comprising a sleeve member 15 secured to the shaft 9 and provided with arms 16 and 17 which are adapted to engage the rollers 18 andv 19 carried by the yoke portion 2-1 of the sleeve shaft 3 in such away as to cause a slight upward axial movement of the impeller shaft 3 when rotated b the motor.

In this particu ar embodiment of my invention, fluid is prevented from entering the motor casing, when the pump is inoperative, by means of a valve pla-te 22 provided on the yoke portion 21 of the impeller shaft 3, which 1s dis osed to engage with the valve seat 23v provi edwin the lower portion of the motor casing. l

It will be observed that the im eller shaft 3 is closed at its lower end an encloses a compression spring 2O which bears upwardly against the lower end of the motor shaft extension 11, thereby biasing the valve plate 22 against the valve seat 23 when the pump is at rest.

As described hereinbefore the rotation of the motorv shaft 9 causes a slight axial movement of the impeller shaft 3 with relation to the motor shaft and, therefore, it will be readily understood that this action automaticallyraises the valve plate 22 0E the seat 23, to

revent the friction and wear of these mem-v ers when the pump is in operation.

In order to prevent the penetration of fluid into the motor casing 6 through the seam 5, when the pump is in o ration, ,and to remove any leakage fluid whlch may have collected in the motor casing, provision is made for lowering the ressure in the seam, 5` to create a suctlon ,e ect therein, tendim` to draw the fluid out of themotor casing. It

Awill be readily understood that various meth- `ods may be employed to perform this function; however, in this particular embodiment of the invention, the seam 5 is connected with a channel which extends through the impellerf2 in such a manner as to cause the circulation offluid therethrough as the impeller 2v is' rotated.

The impeller channel, which may be considered the equivalent `of a conduit, is divided into three main sections, which are designated as 24, and 26, the first section 24 being ormed'by spaced portions of the pump casing l and impeller 2 disposed concentric with the pump shaft 9 and communicating with the second section 25 through an enlarged portion 27. Thermiddle section of the channel 25 isconcentric with the shaft 11 and terminates in a chamber in the im- Anel extends radially Athrough t e impeller blade, and comprises a plurality of passages drilled in the impeller blade as shown. Com- .munication is established between the seam 5 and the enlarged portion 27 of the channel by means of a second channel 28 of relatively small cross-section which permits fluid to drain downwardly from the motor casing 6 into the impeller channel.

It will be readily understood that during rotation of the impeller 2, a centrifugal force is exerted upon the fluid which is contained in the chamber 29 causing the fluid to circulate through the channel from the low pressure compartment 31' of the pump into the high pressure or discharge compartment 32, in such a direction as indicated bythe arrows 33. n

By providing a discharge opening of larger cross-section than the intake opening of the channel, the pressure may be reduced within the impeller channel to such an extent as to cause a suction effect at the enlarged portion 27 which communicates with the seam 5, thereby relieving the seam 5 of hydrostatic ressure from inside the pum casing whic permits any leakage iui which may have accumulated in the motor casing, to readily drain into the channel section 25.

It will be lobserved that the impeller 2 is so constructed that the disc portion 34 which separates the two rows of blades 35 and 36 1s extended beyond the discharge edges of the blades so that the outlet opening of the radial section of the channel 26 extends further from the axis of the pump than the discharge edges of the blades. By

resorting to such a construction, the pressure lncrease 1n the whole channell is eat er than the pressure 1ncrease throug the rows of blades with a result that any stopage or flow reversal in ythe channel is avoided. The pressure increasein the lchannel may also be changed to suit the operating requirements by varying the cross-sectional area in such manner asto either increase or decrease the rate of discharge in relation to the possible rate of fluid entrance.

It may be stated, in conclusion, that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the exact de tails herein illustrated, since modifications of the same may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, a pump casing having intake and discharge chambers, an impeller rotatably mounted in the casing, a channel leading from the intake chamber and extending through the impeller for the circulation of a fluid, said channel being adapted to permit a more rapid discharge than intake of the fluid under the action of the impeller as it rotates thereby to give a low f` uid pressure in the impeller channel, an auxiliary casing associated with the pump casing, and a second fluid channel extending from the auxiliary casing and communicating with the impeller chani nel to provide a drain for the auxiliary casing whereby the fluid is caused to flow from the auxiliary casing into the impeller channel.

2. ln a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, a pump casing, an impeller rotatably mounted in the casing, a channel extending through the impeller for carrying Huid, said channel having inlet openings in the intake section of the casing and discharge openings in the impeller blades, and adapted to permit a more rapid discharge than intake of the fluid to provide forced circulation, an auxiliary casing associated with the pump casing, and a channel of relatively small cross-section establishing communication between the auxiliary casing and the Aimpeller channel and disposed in such relation to the impeller inlet openings as to utilize the suction efifect produced by the circulation of fluid in the impeller channel to draw leakage fluid from the auxiliary casing.

3. In a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, a pump casing, an impeller rotatablymounted in said casing, a motor for driving the pump having a casing associated with the pump casing, a channel having inlet openings in the intake chamber of the pump casin and discharge openings in the impeller b ades for bleeding fluid from the pump casing, said channel extending through the impeller to effect a circulation of the fluid therethrough, a second channel of substan- .tially smaller cross-section connecting the motor casin with the bleeder channel in such relation to t ie impeller as to subject the motor casing to a vacuum action to prevent fluid lll in the pump casing yfrom entering the motor casing. p

4. n a rotary pump for pumping fluid, in combination, a ump casing, an impeller rctatably mounte in the caslng and having a channel for circulating fluid, said pump casin being provided with a` channel having an. e arged portion communicating with the impeller channel, an auxiliary casing associated with the pump casing, and a second fluid channel connecting the auxiliary casing and the enlarged portion of the channel in the pump casing to permit leakage fluid to be drawn from the auxiliary casing into the impeller channel by the rotating action of the impeller.

- 5. in a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, .a um casing having intake and discharge cliam ers, an impeller rotat ably mounted in the casing, said impeller having a disc portion separating two rows o blades which extends beyond the blade edges, a channel for circulating fluid extending from the intake chamber of the casing through the impeller having discharge openin s in the extended disc portion of the im'- pe ler, said channel being adapted to permit a more rapid discharge than intake of fluid to provide a suction effect in the impeller channel, an auxiliary casing associated with the pump casing, and a channel connecting the auxiliary lcasing and impeller channel to conduct leakage fluid from the auxiliary casing. v

6. In a rotary pump or pumping luids, in combination, a pump casing, an impeller roi tatably mounted in the pum casing, said im peller havino' an internal c iamber and flow ducts extending radially therefrom through the impeller blades, a channel for conveying fluid from the intake chamber of the pump casing to the internal chamber of the impeller, said channel being disposed so that the rotation of the impeller .effects a circulation of the fluid therethrough,y an auxiliary casing associated with the pump casihg, a channel connecting the auxiliary casing to the first mentioned channel and disposed in a v predetermined position relative to the impeller to cause a pum ing action to effect the drawing of leakage fiiiid from the auxiliary casing.

7. In a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in i combination, a pump casing having. intake and discharge compartments, an impeller rotatably mounted in thecasing discharge compartment, said impeller having an internal chamber and flow ducts extending therefrom through the blades, means for establishing communication between said compartments for. carrying iluid, said means extending from the intake compartment through the pump impeller to the internal chamber, an

--auxiliary casingv associated with the pump casing, and means for establishing communication between said auxiliary casing and the means for 'establishing communication between the pump compartments to provide for removing leakage fluid Afrom the auxiliary casing by the suction effect produced by the rotating action of the impeller.

8. In a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, a pump casing, an impeller rotatably mounted in the casing, saidimpeller and casmg having portions which 'formv a bleeder channel having an enlarged section, a channel extending through the impeller and communicating with the enlarged section of the bleeder channel for the circulation of fluid, said impeller channel having a discharge opening greater in cross section than the intake opening of the bleeder channel, an auxiliary casing associated with the pump casing, a third channel connecting said auxiliary casing with the enlarged section of the bleeder channel to provide for draining leakage fluid from the auxiliary casing under the influence of the suction effect produced in the enlar ed portion gfthe impeller channel by the act1on of the impeller.

9. In a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, a pump casing having communicatin intake and discharge compartments, an lmpeller rotatably mounted in o'ne of said compartments, said impeller having a chamber near its center with a plurality of discharge ducts extending therefrom through the impeller blades and an intake channel extending rom said chamber through the impeller and casing to the intake compartment to provide a bleeder channel between the compartments, said bleeder channel having a larger discharge opening than an intake,

opening to create a suction effect in the channel as t e impeller rotates, an auxiliary casing associated withthe pump casing, and means communicating between the auxiliary casing and the bleeder channel for conducting leakage fluid from the auxiliary casing into the impeller chamber under the influence of the suction created in the impeller channel by the operation of the impeller.

10. In a rotary pump for pumping fluids, in combination, a pump casing, an impeller rotatably mounted in the casing, said imeller being provided with an annular chamer, an auxiliary casing associated with the ump casing, a shaft extending from the auxlliarycasing into the pump casing for rotat- -ing the impeller', said shaft forming aseam channel with the pump casing to permit fluid to enter the impeller channel, a plurality of discharge ducts extending through the impeller blades communicating with the axial. 55

channel through the annular chamber for discharging yfluid therefrom, and means establishin ycommunication between the seam and the en arged section of the impeller channel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 1st dey of J une 1928, at Nuremberg, Germany.

HANS RICHTER. 

